Rossi still expecting tough title fight

The Italian won Sunday's Italian Grand Prix at Mugello for the seventh consecutive time to stretch his championship lead over Honda's Dani Pedrosa to 12 points.

Rossi has won the last three races and is the only rider who has taken more than one victory so far this year.

Despite that, the Yamaha rider believes Pedrosa will still give him a tough time.

"If I think that last year a won four out of 18, I'd say it's going a lot better," Rossi was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport. "Obviously the championship remains my main objective. It won't be easy, because Pedrosa is still very close.

"In any case I feel in shape, the Yamaha is fine, and with Bridgestone we're improving at every race."

Rossi won his home race using Bridgestone tyres for the first time, having finished first with Michelin rubber in all the Mugello races since 2001.

The seven-time champion admitted the decision to switch to Bridgestone wasn't easy, and revealed he had even been pressured by his team.

"You know, it wasn't easy to decide to change tyre supplier, because it meant taking a big risk on my part," he added. "I had also thought about this precise race, which has always been won by Michelin.

"But then I also said to myself that in fact Michelin was always winning here with me... but I didn't decide by myself. With the guys in the team we sat around a table and they told me: 'If you don't switch, we might even not stay with you.'"

Yamaha team boss Davide Brivio reckons winning with Bridgestone tyres made their victory more significant.

"It was a great Valentino: this year we managed to win also with the Bridgestones, and this gives even more significance to our victory," he told Italia1 television.

"Three consecutive victories, with the championship lead further consolidated. We must carry on this way. It will be tougher and tougher, but we're enjoying ourselves, so that's also important."

Brivio said the secret for Yamaha's return to form this season is hard work, and the Italian also praised the input from Rossi.

"The secret is a massive amount of work in the winter by Yamaha technicians and engineers, who've tried to improve on the 2007 problems," he added.

"We always said our engine was a bit slow last year, so they've worked hard on the power to try to solve that. Then we refined a bit the suspension, and a lot the electronics, so it's refinement jobs without revolutionising it. The bike is aesthetically very similar to last year's, but its heart is different.

"Valentino has been a huge part of this, first of all in stimulating Yamaha into having this reaction, but especially with the way he worked in the winter and the way he carries on working.

"A guy like him - a 29-year-old and seven world titles - doesn't just rely on his talent, but does a lot of physical and mental preparation work. He's very focused and motivated. This is one of this year's great secrets."